Sixth Grade Magical Girls
by Mokichan2
Summary: STORY COMPLETED 2/2/15 - A Puella Magi/Hey Arnold! crossover.
1. Chapter 1

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** I don't recommend reading this if you haven't watched "Puella Magi Madoka Magica", as there may be spoilers.

For those who _have_ watched it I think you'll agree: we definitely need more crossovers with this anime. This just a one-shot to get the ball rolling.

Make it happen, folks.

* * *

><p>"Maria…hey, Maria…wake up…!"<p>

Connie knelt down and frantically shook her best friend, but to no avail; though her eyes were wide open, Maria's body remained lifeless and unresponsive.

It looked like a scene from some bizarre sci-fi film. Though Maria was in her civilian clothes, Connie was wearing a blue leotard, accented with a large flowing blue cape attached at her neck.

Two other girls approached Connie as she futilely attempted to revive her friend. When she became aware of their presence, she clenched her fists into a ball and glared furiously.

"_What did you do to her?"_

One of the girls was a brunette, who was wearing a pink, angular, haute couture outfit, with matching angular skirt. The other girl – who appeared to be chewing some type of bubblegum – was black and had her curly afro hair styled into two afro puffs on the sides of her head; she appeared to be wearing a purple tube-top dress with a single black stripe across the middle. The brunette approached Connie and sighed. "That isn't going to accomplish anything."

"Stay back!" yelled Connie, who stood up fast enough to cause the brunette to pause. "I ain't messin' around, Simone! Now what's the matter with Maria?"

"She's gone, Connie," replied Simone, as if she were saying something as blasé as the time.

Connie's eyes widened and darted towards the tiny magenta gem on Maria's hair bow, now shattered. She then turned back to Simone. "You killed her…"

Simone scoffed and ran her hands through her hair. "Please, she was dead to begin with. We all are."

"What are you talking about?"

"I did Maria a favor. Better to die now and save yourself the misery."

Tears stung Connie's eyes. "You're crazy…" As she shook her clenched fists, a glowing blue aura appeared around them. She charged toward Simone, who made no attempt to move out of the way.

"Cookie," Simone looked to her friend, who remained silent the entire time. Cookie held her right palm out towards Connie. A large pink orb appeared in front of Connie's path and she was bounced back, falling to the ground and having the wind knocked out of her. Cookie then blew a bubble with her gum, and when it popped, she held a long staff with two pink orbs on the ends (similar to a pugil stick), and pointed it towards Connie. "That wasn't very smart, Connie. Then again, you were never exactly the brains of the group anyway. That's why I was elected leader. And now the leader has to make a few tough decisions."

Connie struggled to feet. "Why…" she gasped. "Why are you doing this?"

"This city's not big enough for the four of us," Simone explained. "And quite honestly, Cookie and I think we can get along just fine on our own. You and Maria were weak anyway. Now, I'll give you one more chance to do this the easy way…"

But Connie shook her head in defiance, her fists glowing blue once again. "We were supposed to be a team…I'll never forgive you…you witch!"

Connie charged once again, then froze suddenly, as though her body was being manipulated. Her hands ceased to glow as she placed both on her head and knelt to the ground in pain.

"Okay, Cookie," said Simone. Cookie nodded and pointed left palm at Connie, this time trapping her inside one of the pink orbs. The orb must have been soundproof, for though it looked as though Connie was screaming, no sound escaped from the orb. After several seconds had passed, Cookie popped another bubble with her chewing gum, and simultaneously the orb surrounding Connie had disappeared. Connie collapsed to the ground; she was still alive, but she made no effort to get up, simply crying where she lay.

Cookie took her staff with both hands and prepared to send it down on Connie's head, but Simone had stopped her. "No. Let her make herself useful for a change."

Cookie looked at Simone with some tinge of doubt, but in the end retracted her weapon, and the two girls stood around Connie and waited. Waited as the jewel-encrusted clip in her hair slowly changed from purple to black…

There was one individual, however, who didn't wait. A mysterious white creature – who had witnessed the entire ordeal with an unwavering stare and frozen grin – had decided that it had seen enough and left. It walked down the empty street as if two young girls lives had not been destroyed before its eyes.

After all, Kyubei was on a mission. And contrary to what Simone had said, it was indeed a big city.

Hillwood was chockful of potential Magical Girls.


	2. Chapter 10a

Simone walked down the corridor of P.S. 118 red-faced and ashamed, leaving a scant trail of lime-green gelatin in her wake.

As the other students pointed and laughed, Simone was on the warpath, ignoring the attention she received from gawkers and turning the corner pridefully, trying in vain to hold onto any lingering shreds of dignity.

It had been a week of bad luck for her friends. First Connie had her shoes glued to the floor, then Maria found herself the victim of an exploding toilet in the girl's washroom, and finally Cookie mysteriously had her favourite candy swapped for a pack of hot tamale-laced gumdrops.

So in a way, Simone anticipated that she would be next, but only recently had she come to realize that she and her friends were somehow being targeted.

She spotted Brainy getting a drink from the water fountain and approached him silently. She waited until she was right behind him before speaking.

"Hi…" she said in a saccharine-sweet voice.

Brainy turned around immediately and looked at the sixth grader, then gulped. "Uh…hi…"

"Haven't I seen you around before?" asked Simone, innocently.

Brainy shifted his gaze downward, shaking his head slightly. "No…don't think so…gotta go…"

Simone lost her patience. She lifted Brainy by his shirt and slammed him into a nearby locker. "Don't play dumb with me you little dweeb! I've seen you lurking around me and my friends all week, and every time that I do, something really bad happens! Care to explain that?"

Brainy didn't respond, instead choosing to wheeze rapidly. In spite of himself, Brainy's eyes kept darting quickly to the utility closet across the hall. Simone caught onto this and dropped Brainy, who quickly ran away. She noticed that the utility closet was left slightly open and took a peek inside. There, she spotted a nine year-old wearing a pink dress and bow, sitting on the ground facing away from the door. At her feet was a bucket that still contain the remnants of what appeared to be lime green gelatin.

"Oh, Arnold, my football-headed love god…" swooned the girl. "I hope you'd forgive me for resorting to such underhanded tactics to protect the honor of my best friend. I know you would be more diplomatic in handling those snooty yet deserving sixth-graders. Oh, how I wish I could tell you all my hopes and fears. Someday I will, or my name isn't Helga G. Pataki."

"Can I help with something, Miss Anderson?"

Principal Wartz stood behind Simone, startling her. "Uh…no, Principal Wartz."

"Well, then you better get on to class then," he cautioned. Wartz glared warily at her green-stained clothing then walked away. "Kids these day and their crazy styles…"

Simone glanced back at the utility closet, which was now suddenly closed shut; the girl inside must have overheard their conversation. But rather than confront her, Simone decided to follow Prinicpal Wartz's orders and head to class.

Now that Simone knew who her attacker was, she didn't have to confront her…yet. For Simone was a calculating individual – she'd use what she found out today to her advantage when the time was right.

But not today.


	3. Chapter 10b

Things returned to normal the next day at school. The four friends were chatting amongst themselves in a group before class when two sixth grade boys, Tommy and Burt entered the room.

"Yo, Burt – come over here!" called Connie.

"What? Why don't you come over here?!" retorted Burt.

"Ah, forget you!" she yelled back.

Two pairs of eyes were on Tommy when he entered the classroom. "Morning, Tommy!" Maria and Simone said simultaneously. Tommy acknowledged them by pointing and winking in their direction before taking his seat.

"I can't wait for the spring dance," said Connie. "Burt's getting his uncle from the limo company to pick us up. Have you figured out who you're taking?"

"Oh, I have my sights set on someone…" said Simone coyly; she still hadn't taken her eyes off Tommy.

At that moment Mr. Smith entered the classroom and went to his desk. "Alright, alright, keep it down. The sooner I get through this lesson plan, the sooner I can leave. First things first – Connie, Maria, Cookie, Simone. You four were absent for last week's social studies exam.

"Oh, yeah…" remarked Connie. "Well, the thing about that is…we was sick on account of we all caught the same bug." (That bug was actually a teen movie marathon.)

Mr. Smith gave them a deadpan stare. "Well, regardless, you four will have to make up the test tomorrow, so I hope you've studied. Now then, everyone take out your books so I can get this over with…"

As Mr. Smith turned to the blackboard to start the lecture, the girls exchanged worried glances.

"Ain't no way I'm studyin' for no lame social studies test," whispered Connie vehemently.

"That goes double for me," added Simone.

Cookie whispered something into Maria's ear, who then nodded. "Cookie says that she heard Ruth got a B+ on the test," she whispered.

"Good idea, Maria," said Simone. "We just need someone to go over there and get the answers from her.

Cookie, Simone, and Maria turned to Connie and grinned.

"Connie rolled her eyes. "Why do I always gotta be the scapegoat…?" she muttered.

* * *

><p>After school, Connie went over to Ruth P. McDougall's house. Ruth actually WAS sick (she had caught a case of the mumps) and had missed the last few days of school; however, she was in attendance for the social studies exam. So when Mr. Smith asked for a student to bring her today's notes, Connie was glad to volunteer.<p>

Ruth sat in her bed, still in her nightgown, as Connie set the notes on Ruth's dresser and leaned against the desk across the room.

"Thanks for bringing my notes," said Ruth, hoarsely. "Maybe when I'm feeling better, you, me and the other girls could hang out sometime."

"Oh yeah," replied Connie, forcing herself to give her most shit-eating grin. "Of course."

Truth be told, Ruth wasn't well-liked by the other sixth-grade; either she was a masochist, or Ruth was sincerely oblivious to the countless times she had been rebuffed by Connie, Maria, Cookie, and Simone.

"Anyways, I better get going. Thanks for the cheat sheet," said Connie. As she made her way to the door, her eyes locked onto a peculiar white figure sitting on the bookshelf.  
>"Huh," Connie remarked absentmindedly. "What a weird-lookin' stuffed animal."<p>

Ruth blanched. "What did you say?"

Connie looked at Ruth, confused. "I said, 'What a weird-lookin' stuffed animal'."  
>"So you see it, too?"<p>

"Uh, yeah…?" Connie wasn't sure what Ruth was getting at.

Ruth shook her head. "I thought I was going crazy…that's why I didn't say anything at first. That's no stuffed toy. That thing is alive."

Connie looked at the white creature, then back at Ruth dubiously. "Say what?"

"It followed me home a few days ago," explained Ruth, carefully. "It doesn't really do anything, but its stare really freaks me out. It was in the same room with my mom, and she never even saw it. I just thought being sick was making me delirious."

"Right," said Connie, who was slowly edging her way to the door as Ruth spoke. Even though she could see the creature plain as day, nothing in its appearance indicated to her that it was anything more than a stuffed animal; after all, the thing didn't even BLINK.

_And she wonders why we avoid her so often – what a freak!_ thought Connie. Yeah, uh…so I'll see youse later," she said out loud, but Ruth had her face buried in her hands and didn't respond.

* * *

><p>Later that evening, Connie was in her room reading a fashion magazine when she heard muffled shouting from outside her door. Her parents were fighting again.<p>

Unable to concentrate, Connie put the magazine down and listened relunctantly as the shouting intensified; at some point the sound of plates crashing could be heard, followed by more shouting.

Connie closed her eyes and covered her ears with her hands. "No…" she said. "Please…stop fighting…"

When Connie opened her eyes again, she was surprised to see the white creature from Ruth's place sitting on the floor before her, staring at her.

"How…how did you get in here?"

* * *

><p>Connie ran as fast as her legs could carry her, creature in tow. She eventually caught up with her friends at the gang's usual hangout place: Maria's house. Four girls were already at the stoop - Cookie, Simone, and Maria were spinning their best lies to try to get poor Ruth to go away.<p>

"Youse guys…hey, youse guys!" she yelled excitedly as she approached the group.

Simone regarded Connie with bemusement and smirked. "Someone light your bra on fire, Connie?"

Connie ignored the remark. "You ain't gonna believe this…I still can't believe it…I was minding my business at home when all of a sudden this thing appeared outta nowhere and…"

At that point, Ruth screamed bloody murder, pointing a shaking finger at Connie for emphasis. "You brought it back?!"

What happened next was very interesting. While Ruth proceeded to freak out, Maria finally noticed the creature in Connie's arms and jumped back. "What the heck?!"

"So you see it then, right?"

"See what?" Simone frowned. Cookie looked between the three girls as though they had all lost their minds.

"I just remembered, there's a…a thing that I forgot to do. I'll see you girls later…" and with that Ruth hightailed it down the sidewalk.

Simone watched as she disappeared into the distance. "That girl…" she sighed. She then turned her attention back to Connie and Maria. "Now, what are you going on about?"

"What, are you blind? I've got it right in my hands here!" Connie held the white creature away from her, directly in front of Simone's nose. "I don't know what it is, but I think its magic or somethin'. It's like…some sort of cat-genie! Cookie, you see it, right?"

Cookie and Simone exchanged glances. Finally, Simone ran her fingers through her hair and regarded the blonde coolly. "I don't know what kind of sick game you and Maria are playing, but I've just about had my share of pranks this week. When you're done having fun, come talk to me. Let's go, Cookie."

Simone brushed harshly past Connie and Maria while Cookie followed close behind. Connie looked down in her hand, dumbfounded. "I don't understand…I can see it. And Ruth can see it…you can see it, too, right, Maria?"

Maria nodded tightly. It was at this point that Connie noticed Maria fingering the tiny gold cross necklace that she wore underneath her dress.  
>"Maria…you okay?"<p>

"Y-yeah, yeah. I'm fine. It's just that…my emabuela/em always talked about these kinda things. I never thought I'd see one up close."

"What? A cat-genie?"

"I think you should go home, Connie," said Maria, as she ascended the steps to her house. "And I'd get rid of that thing if I were you…"

And just like that, Connie was standing alone outside with the creature. "I don't get it," she said to herself. "What's so special about you, anyway?"

As Connie pondered the mystery, she was unaware that she was being spied on by another blonde nearby…

* * *

><p>Cookie got a hall pass to go to the bathroom, but instead she made a detour to the cafeteria, where the vending machines were kept. She spied her favorite pack of gum in the shelf and put her money in the coin slot. The little ring began to unravel, but only partly, and instead of dropping, the candy stayed affixed to its spot. Angrily, Cookie shook the vending machine but the pack refused to fall. Cookie pressed her face against the glass and looked at the unattainable treat forlornly.<br>In that moment, she looked to her feet and saw a strange white creature sitting beside her, staring at her.

Cookie remembered what Connie had said about the imaginary animal that grants wishes – could this be it? She looked at the creature, then back at the vending machine, then back at the creature…and shrugged.

* * *

><p>On a Saturday afternoon, the week before the spring dance, Maria and her friends were listening to the radio in her living room. Burt and Tommy were also there, and while Burt's attention was on his girl Connie, Tommy's attention was split between the fussing and fawning of Maria and Simone.<p>

"This station sucks!" remarked Connie in her eloquent way. "Somebody change the channel!"

Cookie was the closest to the stereo on the table and began playing with one of the dials. As she searched for suitable listening material, Maria and Simone continued to lay it on thick with Tommy.

"So Tommy, have you given any thought to who you might be taking to the spring dance?" asked Maria.

"Yeah, you must your hands full, especially since all the girls would LOVE to have you as a date…" quipped Simone.

Tommy ran a hand through his brown hair and leaned back against the sofa, between the two girls. "Eh, I don't know, I haven't really decided yet. I suppose it could be anyone…"

Maria and Simone glanced at each other, simultaneously giving the other a smug, challenging look.

At last, Cookie had settled on a channel. "Welcome back, all you hip dudes and dudettes," crooned the announcer on the radio. "This is New Wave Ned, coming at you with four free tickets to Wrestlemania."

This piqued Tommy's interes. "Wrestlemania?"

Simone rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. What's the big deal about some stupid Wrestlemania?"

"Are you kidding?" Tommy shot back. "Wrestlemania's only the biggest event this city has to offer, even more than some dumb spring dance!"

Burt snorted. "Yeah. Too bad we'll never score those tickets."

"Yeah, I know….still, it would be cool. I'd go out with the ugliest girl in P.S. 118 to get to a chance to go to Wrestlemania…"

"You mean Ruth P. McDougall?" quipped Simone.

While Connie, Cookie and Burt laughed at the joke (Tommy stayed silent, his cheeks slightly burning), Maria's attention was on the front of the house. There, sitting complacently on her windowsill, was the mysterious creature.

Maria stood up. "Hey, Maria – where are you goin'?" asked Tommy.

"I'll be right back you guys, there's something I need to do upstairs," said Maria as she raced up the stairs to the second floor of her home.

Several minutes had passed and Maria still hadn't rejoined the group. After a while, New Wave Ned returned on the airwaves.

"It's that time, cool cats," proclaimed New Wave Ned. "It's time to give out the free tickets to Wrestlemania. I'm going to dial a random phone number, and whoever picks up will be the proud owner of four tickets to next Saturday's match. Alright, here I go…555…"

As New Wave Ned read out the random phone number, Burt and Tommy pushed Cookie from her spot and huddled around the radio. Moments later, a ring could be heard from upstairs. Everyone looked up and watched as Maria descended down the stairwell, cordless phone against her ear.

"Yeah, hello?" she asked.

Burt and Tommy were literally stumbling over themselves at this point.

"Hello this is New Wave Ned, calling to congratulate you for winning four free tickets to Wrestlemania."

"No way!" Connie exclaimed. Burt's jaw dropped in response.  
>"Maria, you gotta take me with you!" Tommy pleaded.<p>

"Me too!" cried Burt.

Simone, on the other hand, was seething. "Well you can't go – next Saturday's the night of the dance, remember?"

"That's right," said Maria. "Only way I'm going is if you take me beforehand to the spring dance."

Tommy waved her off. "Sure, whatever! We can do both! I'll take Maria and Burt can take Connie, and afterwards we can go. It'll be like a double-date."

Maria glanced at Simone and smirked. "I like the sound of that."


	4. Chapter 10c

It was the night of the spring dance. Connie and Maria spent the entire evening wrapped around their respective dates, Burt and Tommy. Simone and Cookie, on the other hand, were dateless, and stood at the perimeter of the gym, Simone staring daggers into the back of Maria's head.

"That backstabbing tart," she muttered under her breath. "The only reason Tommy went with her instead of me is because of dumb luck."

Cookie said nothing, merely swirling her punch around in her cup.

Simone continued ranting. "Who does she think she is? I'm prettier and more popular than her…and now she's going to be voted Spring Dance Queen. I deserve it more than her…well?"

When Cookie didn't respond, Simone smacked the cup out of her hand, causing red punch to splatter everywhere. Simone then stormed out of the gym and into the hallway, walking until she reached a deserted part of the school. She sat on the floor beside a water fountain and sulked.

"It's not fair. I should be the Spring Dance Queen. I should be with Tommy…"

**_DO YOU REALLY THINK SO?_**

Simone's head snapped up. She thought she was alone, but apparently someone was spying on her. She quickly scanned the corridor but couldn't see anyone.

"Who's there?"

**_UP HERE._**

Simone turned her head and gasped. A white creature was next to her, sitting atop the water fountain, and staring at her intently.

"W-what are you?"

**_I BELIEVE YOUR FRIEND CONNIE HAD REFERRED TO ME AS THE "CAT-GENIE"._**

"So…you AREN'T imaginary. How come I can I see you now and I couldn't before?"

**_THE FACT THAT I AM VISIBLE TO YOU MEANS THAT I CAN BE OF SOME ASSISTANCE TO YOU._**

"Assistance?"

**_THERE IS SOMETHING YOU DESIRE THAT I CAN OFFER TO YOU. YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT BEING THE SPRING DANCE QUEEN. IS THAT TITLE IMPORTANT TO YOU?_**

"Well…yeah. What I wouldn't give to rub it in Maria's face if she lost…"

**_I CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN._**

Simone stood up. "Really?"

**_YES, REALLY. I HAVE THE POWER TO GRANT ANY WISH YOU DESIRE. ALL I ASK OF YOU IN RETURN IS THAT YOU FORM A CONTRACT WITH ME TO BECOME A PUELLA MAGI._**

* * *

><p>"Okay, everybody, settle down!" A sixth grader with glasses tapped the microphone to get everyone's attention. "We're about to announce the King and Queen of this year's Spring Dance!"<p>

Connie nudged Maria with her elbow. "You got this!" Maria smiled and nodded.

"Alright," said the sixth grader at the mic. "The person who earned the most votes for Spring Dance King is…Tommy Tuttoli!"

The audience cheered as Tommy made his way to the stage to accept his crown.

"And the girl who earned 100% of the male vote to be Spring Dance Queen is…Simone Anderson!"

"What?!" yelled a stunned Connie. "It's a fix! It's gotta be! Where's Burt?!"

Simone sauntered her way to the stage next to Tommy. She planted a kiss on his cheek just as Maria ran out of the gym.

"How could you!" Maria yelled at Tommy later on in the hall.

"I swear, I dunno what came over me…" Tommy explained lamely. "I was gonna pick you but…"

"But what? 100%? Did you think I wouldn't find out? Why don't you just be honest and say you like Simone better than me?"

"I'm tellin' ya, Maria, it ain't nothin' like that!"

"Know what," Maria took the tickets to Wrestlemania out of her pocket and threw them in Tommy's face. "You like her so much, go with her instead. Forget you!"

"Maria…wait!" But Maria had already left the building.

Later that evening, Maria lay sobbing on her bed, with Connie beside her, comforting her. Connie had also reneged on going to Wrestlemania, and the others had dropped them off via taxi before heading to the match.

"Tommy's such a jerk!" yelled Maria, her voice muffled by her pillow.

"Yeah, and Burt ain't no prize either," Connie added. "I can't believe they'd go behind our backs like that. If it weren't for you, they wouldn't be heading to Wrestlemania in the first place!"

"Well, at least this day couldn't possibly get any worse, right?"

Connie smiled at Maria. All of sudden, Connie went unconscious and fell on the bed. Frightened, Maria sat up and began to shake her best friend.

"Connie…hey, Connie! What's the matter with you? Wake up!"

At that moment, the bedroom door burst open and there was Cookie, red in the face. She darted over to the bed and placed a blue egg-shaped item on Connie's chest. Maria's eyes widened. "That's…"

Within seconds, Connie came back to life, gasping for air as though she had been holding her breath. When she sat up, she was surprised to see Maria and Cookie's worried faces on her.

"Uh…you gotta problem or something?"

Maria pointed at the item, now in Connie's lap. "Connie…where did you get that?"

"Huh? Oh this thing? It was a birthday present. I must've left it in the cab."

"Then why do I have the same thing?" Maria pulled out similar egg-shaped item, except hers was purple in colour.

"Wait a minute, why is Cookie here anyway? Shouldn't you be with the others?"

"Don't change the subject, Connie!" Maria snapped. "Something's obviously not right here. You blacked out, and only when Cookie came back with that thing did you snap out of it. It was like you were dead…"

**_THAT IS CORRECT_**, all eyes turned to the entrance. There was the white creature, along with Simone, who was holding a pink egg-shaped item. **_SHE WAS DEAD….TECHNICALLY. BUT ONLY FOR A BRIEF MOMENT._**

"You stupid cat-genie," spat Connie, jumping up from the bed and staring down the creature. "What the hell did you do to us?!"

As Connie got up, the item that was on her lap migrated to the ground, bouncing harshly on the floor. When that occurred, Connie seemed to recoil in pain, then collapse on the ground.

**_ALLOW ME TO EXPLAIN._**

* * *

><p>Connie punched the wall and swore while Simone began crying hysterically. Cookie rocked in the fetal position in one corner of the room. Maria did nothing, choosing instead to sit silently on her bed.<p>

"This can't be real…this can't be real…!" cried Simone.

Connie picked up the white thing and shook it viciously. "You sayin' we a bunch of walking stiffs now?! A bunch of fucking zombies? How could you do this to us?"

She flung the creature against the opposite wall with all her might and there was a sickening CRACK as it bounced off and lay lifelessly on the ground. Simone stopped crying long enough to gasp in horror, then looked at Connie with anger. "You killed it!"

"I-It was an accident!"

"You idiot! That thing might have been the only thing able to get us back to normal!"

Suddenly, Cookie shrieked and pointed at the doorway. There was a second white creature, identical to the last, and it was walking the length of the room towards the deceased, where it started consuming it. Connie was so stunned she fell backwards and sat on the floor. Simone was so disgusted she threw up.

When the creature finished consuming the dead until there was nothing left, it turned to look at the girls.

**_I DON'T SEE WHAT ALL THE FUSS IS ABOUT. YOU EACH CAME TO ME WITH A SPECIFIC WISH, AND I GRANTED IT. I HELD UP MY END OF THE BARGAIN. IT IS NOW TIME FOR YOU TO DO THE SAME._**

"What are you talking about?" Simone gasped, in-between losing her lunch.

**_YOU SIGNED A CONTRACT WITH ME TO BECOME PUELLA MAGI. YOU MADE AN AGREEMENT THAT YOU WOULD TRADE YOUR SOUL FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF HAVING YOUR GREATEST DESIRE FULFILLED._**

"Our…souls?" Connie looked at the egg-shaped item in her hand.

**_CORRECT. WHAT YOU HOLD IN YOUR HAND IS YOUR SOUL GEM. IT IS IMPORTANT TO KEEP IT WITH YOU AT ALL TIMES, AS IT HOUSES THE VERY ESSENCE OF YOUR SOUL. EXCEPT FOR YOU, COOKIE. BE SURE NOT TO SWALLOW YOUR SOUL BY ACCIDENT._**

Cookie's eyes widened and she blanched.

Connie continued talking: "So what do we gotta do now?"

**_YOU MUST NOW FIGHT WITCHES. I'M SURE IT WILL BE NO PROBLEM IF THE FOUR OF YOU STICK TOGETHER. LEARN YOUR POWERS QUICKLY AND YOU SHOULD BE FINE._**

"Yeah, thanks…hey, wait a sec! Where are you going? Ain't you gonna help us?"

_**I'VE DONE ALL THAT I CAN FOR YOU. MY PURPOSE IS TO FIND GIRLS AND TO FULFILL CONTRACTS. GOODBYE.** _

The white creature exited the room. A silence hung for several seconds before Connie kicked the door shut.

"Well that's just great, now what?"

"I've never fought a person in my life," Simone said almost in a whisper.

"But I have."

The window across from the bedroom door opened and a light fog seeped into the room. A young, blonde girl dressed like Little Bo Peep came through the window and stood before the four girls.

Connie screamed and pointed. "Aaah! A witch!"

The girl made a face. "Hardly." She tapped the cane in her hand and in an instant the fog dissipated, and her clothes changed to a more normal pink dress.

Connie's eyes nearly bugged out. "Whoa…how'd you do that?"

The girl smiled and held out her hand, which was holding a pink soul gem. "My name is Gloria. And I'm just like you. I make it my mission to help all newly-minted Puella Magi get acquainted with their new lifestyle. Especially since Kyuubey can't be bothered to do the same."

Connie blinked. "Who?"

"The cat-genie."

"Oh."

"I'm sure you all have a lot on your mind, but I recommend we go looking for a witch right now. Some have you have gone days without replenishing your soul gems.

"No way…" Simone shook her head vehemently. "There's no way I'm doing what that cat-thing said. Why should I have to put my life on hold just because it says so?"

"What choice do we have?" Maria finally broke her silence, getting up from the bed and approaching Gloria. "We chose to make the contract, now we have to accept the consequences. No point regretting the past."

Gloria nodded somberly. "That's a good attitude to have. Let's go. I think I found an easy target where you can get some practice."


	5. Chapter 10d

A group of monochromatic girls sauntered across a checkered blue and green tiled floor. This mass of girls – a clique, more or less, were then suddenly ambushed by a glowing blue fist, as Connie appeared and forcefully smashed her way through. Rather than decimate the group, it effectively split in half and continued with its nondescript banter.

"They just keep multiplying!" Connie yelled.

The four girls were in a labyrinth, fashioned to look like an endless school hallway. And while they were the same size as the familiars – the cliques – they were, by comparison, significantly dwarfed by the looming lockers and slow-moving creature up ahead.

"Don't worry about it!" Maria yelled back. "Gloria said to focus on the witch!"

As if on cue, the witch had arrived: a giant, gangly, feminine-looking creature with long nails and exaggeratedly high heels. The witch approached the group while gabbing into what appeared to be a cell phone.

A barrage of paper fortune tellers with teeth flew towards the girls. Any that came close to Cookie were quickly dispatched care of her pugil stick. Several came for Simone; she outstretched her hands and stopped them in their tracks, incinerating a few in the process.

Unbeknownst to Simone, a clique appeared behind her and began its murmurings, as though it were sharing gossip. The murmurings manifested themselves into a strange hazy miasma that had reached Simone and caused her to be paralyzed. Suddenly, a vacuum began pulling Simone towards one of the lockers, which was opening and closing in a manner that would surely crush her.

Simone was saved by a Maria's whip; Connie made short work of the offensive locker by smashing it inward with her fists. Cookie trapped the offending clique inside a bubble, then smashed it with her pugil stick, effectively destroying it.

"Alright!" yelled Connie. "So you CAN kill those things!"

"Forget those, we got bigger problems!" yelled Maria, pointing to the witch that was now right in front of them.

"I got it!" Connie went in for the attack, but was promptly swatted away. The witch then used her hands to fire off the nail projectiles. Simone attempted to freeze the nails in mid-air, but could only hold them for a few seconds; Maria had to step in to save her again.

"Yo, this broad is enormous! How the heck are we supposed to take it down?"

Maria looked to her perimeters, then had a plan. "Follow my lead," she said, as she barrelled her way towards the witch, then used her whip to bind by the legs. "Hey, _vato_ – come over here!"

Cookie was next; first her entire body became pink, then in a flash she bounced back and forth amongst the lockers, leaving a sticky, gummy trail in her wake. This eventually created a web that immobilized the witch.

"Now, Connie!" Maria yelled. Connie charged the witch again, who was this time unable to swat her away. Fists glowing blue, Connie struck the witch in the face with such force that it fell backwards. Because it was attached to the lockers, when it fell down it took the lockers with it and was crushed.

The labyrinth started to fade away as Connie and Maria cheered. There was a slow clap and the girls turned to see an impressed Gloria.

"Very good, very good," she said. "Not a bad showing for your first witch. You should be fine. Did it drop a grief seed?"

Cookie approached the group, the grief seed in her hand. She handed it to Maria.

"Wait a sec – why are you giving this to me? We all pitched in to fight this thing."

"Yeah, but it was your plan, Maria," Connie insisted. "You're like, I dunno – our leader, or something. Take it Maria – you've earned it."

"Youse guys…" Maria smiled, but then her eyes wandered over to Simone, who was kneeling on the floor and breathing heavily. She still hadn't recovered from using her powers in the labyrinth.

Maria walked over to Simone and placed the grief seed in her hand. Simone looked up at Maria and glowered. "What are you doing?"

"Take it. You need it more than me."

Simone looked at the grief seed, then looked on as Maria re-joined the group. She squeezed the grief seed tightly in the palm of her hand. Her very being shaken by hatred.

* * *

><p>Cookie left her home late one night, her soul gem in hand, and followed the glow to a potential witch. Unbeknownst to her, Simone was hiding along the side of her building, waiting her until she was well out of sight.<p>

_Knock, knock, knock_

"I'll get it!" Cookie's five-year-old younger sister made her way to the front door.

"No way, I wanna get it!" said the young girl's twin brother. When they both opened the door they were met by the brunette sixth-grader, towering above them menacingly.

"Mom…?"

* * *

><p>Several hours later, Cookie returned home – grief seed in hand – only to realize that home was nowhere to be found. Instead, several fire trucks and police cars were parked of what remained, just a smouldering pile of black ash.<p>

Cookie was mortified. As she backed away, she overheard some of the fireman say that a gas leak had caused her house to explode. Overcome with grief, Cookie ran away from the scene. Not running anywhere in particular, she finally just collapsed along the sidewalk, sobbing. When she looked up, she was surprised to see Simone standing before her.

"That was no accident," Simone said.

Cookie stopped crying and gave her a perplexed look.

"I know who did this to you, Cookie. It was Gloria. I overheard her tell Connie and Maria that you were dead weight. She wanted to get rid of you and replace you with a new girl."

Cookie sat up and looked at the ground in shock. Simone placed a hand on her shoulder and looked at her earnestly.

"Let's not give them the chance."

* * *

><p>Ruth awoke with a start in the middle of the night. She turned and looked at her open window and was surprised to find someone sitting on the ledge. All she could see was an silhouette of the intruder.<p>

"W-who are you?"

"Never mind that," replied the girl in shadow. "You're in grave danger."

"Danger?" repeated Ruth, confused.

"You are going to be hunted by a group of girls you used to know. If you want to live, you need to leave right now."

Ruth cracked a smile. "I must be dreaming."

"Okay. You can choose to listen to my warning and live to see another day. Or you can go back to bed and dream your silly little dreams, before getting killed in your sleep. I saw your future, and it's not pretty. I've done all that I can to help you."

The girl hopped from the ledge and disappeared into the night.

* * *

><p>"So what do you think Gloria wants to tell us?" Connie asked, in her Puella Magi uniform.<p>

Connie and Maria were walking towards an abandoned warehouse, where they were allegedly told that an important meeting was to take place. Maria, also as a Puella Magi, shrugged her shoulders.

"Dunno. Maybe she found a way to get us out of this stupid contract."

"Boy, that would really be something."

They appeared to be the first ones inside when they arrived. Connie walked a head and looked around, while Maria whipped out her phone and started texting.

Connie shuddered, and held her arms close to her sides for emphasis. "This place gives me the creeps, eh Maria."

A sound of surprise came from Maria, then the sound of a phone sliding across the floor

"Maria…?"

Connie turned around to see her best friend on the ground, motionless. After a few seconds, her costume de-materialized and transformed back to her civilian clothes.

"Maria!"

Connie ran to Maria's aid and knelt by her side. As she cried for her friend to wake up, her two other friends came to begin their own nightmare.


End file.
